REVIEW: Dell XPS M1330

Dell has pulled out all the stops with its latest laptop. The XPS M1330 (from £599) looks amazing, is well built, and is actually the world’s thinnest 13-inch Windows Vista laptop. It’s available in a rich palette of four colour choices in the U.S., but here in the UK we’re limited to just two: Tuxedo Black or Crimson Red. Underscoring the American company’s commitment to offering customers quality digital products that are custom-tailored to meet their lifestyles, the XPS M1330 has been designed to offer the highest computing performance whenever and wherever you go.

The mobile system is packed with features such as a widescreen display, mobile broadband and 802.11n to help you experience the high-definition lifestyle you seek. Built on a foundation of great features and design, the XPS M1330 offers a best-in-class UltraSharp WXGA (1280×800) widescreen display that is perfect for hi-definition activities such as watching movies, sharing photos, or playing games. Furthermore, built-in optional mobile broadband allows wireless connectivity wherever you can get a GPS signal.

With a starting weight of 1.8kg (318×238x33.8mm), the XPS M1330 features cutting-edge design elements and a durable magnesium alloy frame with brushed aluminium accents. Corporates will also love the optional built-in biometric fingerprint reader and 2-Megapixel Web camera, the latter allowing for face-to-face videoconferencing while on the road. The standard model (from £849) is very well specified too, offering more than enough power for general business and leisure duties.

It comes with an Intel Core 2 Duo processor T7500 (2.20GHz, 800MHz FSB, 4MB L2-cache), 2048MB of 667MHz Dual-Channel DDR2 SDRAM, 250GB (5400rpm) SATA hard drive (upgradable to 320GB), stylish (but fixed) slot-loading 8x DVD+/-RW drive, and discrete 128MB nVidia GeForce 8400M GS graphics chipset. Windows Vista Home Premium is the pre-installed operating system of choice, though you can upgrade to Windows Vista Ultimate (32-bit) for another £82.25.

A 6-cell Lithium-Ion Battery (56-WHr) is included in the price, but frequent travellers might want to spend £20 more and go for the 9-cell Lithium-Ion battery (85-WHr) for more operating time. Mobile broadband is also an optional extra. Dell charges £110 for its own Wireless 5520 Mobile Broadband HSDPA Mini-Card, or £160 for a Dell Wireless 5510 ExpressCard 3G/HSDPA (includes Vodafone Data 250, which costs £25 per month).

The XPS M1330 is all about connectivity. It has 10/100 Ethernet (Gigabit Ethernet not an option), 802.11a/b/g Wi-Fi, in addition to 300Mbps 802.11n compatibility. More importantly, it has three separate Wi-Fi aerials installed in the lid. These not only provide greater wireless range, but are MIMO capable – a method of data transmission using multiple analogue signal paths to increase throughput and range. An optional integrated Vodafone 3G SIM card lets you browse the Web without being in a Wi-Fi hotspot.

Using the XPS M1330 is a joy. The keyboard is well laid out and each key gives a reassuring amount of feedback when pressed. The trackpad and its buttons are perhaps a little on the small side, but at least this minimises the possibility is accidentally scrolling or deleting. The palm rests are impressively large for such a small computer, which makes typing for long periods comfortable, and the touch-sensitive media controls will bring a smile to your face. A really neat touch is that the 54mm ExpressCard slot doubles as a home to the bundled remote control, which can be used to access and control your music and video from a distance.

To further enhance the customer experience, Dell is offering new support tools and technology that proactively identify and solve problems automatically. Dell’s portfolio of offerings now includes Dell Support Centre, Dell Support 3, DellConnect, DataSafe Online and PC TuneUp. All new consumer systems come with Dell Support Centre pre-installed which provides one-click access to personalised service, support and system resources, helping you quickly locate system information, self-help tools, FAQs and assistance.

DataSafe Online is a service that provides online storage space for customers, allowing you to upload and backup valuable data to a secure online ‘vault’. With Dell DataSafe Online, photos, music and files are not only protected, but can be shared with friends and family. Dell Support 3 is a Dell-developed utility that monitors and pinpoints systems issues. It provides real-time health scans of the system (PC, peripherals, network devices), system updates and upgrades, self-help and automated tools and ‘fixes’, and proactive alerts.

Dell also recently introduced PC TuneUp, a preventive surgery designed to reduce maintenance hassles and give more time for fun and productivity. You can schedule Dell PC TuneUp to run when and as often as you want and when you want. The application will the automatically fix a wide range of issues and produce a report that pinpoints what has been done to maintain optimal system performance.

Launched in January 2007, Presto is another after-sales service designed to provide Dell’s customers with advice needed running a PC, supporting Dell PC owners regardless of the brand of printer, wireless router or other devices that may be the issue. Presto operates a fixed, clear tariff policy for its services. Annual membership costs from £99 (when purchased separately from a PC). One-time assistance starts from £19. If Presto cannot help a customer, no fee is charged. Customers can choose either annual membership or a ‘pay-as-you-use’ option. A membership of Presto is available both at time of purchase of a Dell PC or at anytime afterwards. Presto is currently available to Dell customers in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, the United Kingdom and Switzerland.

The XPS M1330 is one of the best Windows-based ultra-portable laptops out there. The 13.3-inch glossy widescreen display is lush (though we’d like it a little brighter), in-built connectivity is second to none, and there’s a raft of support options to make sure downtime is kept to a minimum. If you’re looking for combination of quality features, performance and design, put the XPS M1330 at the top of your list. [9]